1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and more particularly, to a gas supply device for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.
2. Background of the Related Art
Semiconductor device fabrication includes many processes including oxidation, diffusion, ion-implantation, metal deposition, and etching that require a gas supplier for supplying a variety of fabrication gases to the fabrication line (fab). FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a related art gas supply device for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. As shown in FIG. 1, at a location outside a fab 7, a gas cabinet 1 is located for mounting a plurality of gas vessels 2 containing various kinds of fabrication gases such as SiH4, PH3, NF3, and CF4 that apparatuses 8 in the fab 7 require. At one side of the gas cabinet 1, one end of a guide duct 4 is mounted for guiding gas lines 3 respectively connected to the gas vessels 2.
On the other end of the guide duct 4, a number of distributors 5 corresponding to the gas lines 3 are mounted for supplying the fabrication gas introduced through the gas lines 3. A number of supply pipes 9 that corresponds to a number of the apparatuses 8 protrude from an upper portion of each distributor 5 to be correspondingly connected to the apparatuses 8 in the fab 7.
The operation of the related art gas supply device for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus will now be described. First, when a fabrication gas is supplied from each of the plurality of gas vessels 2 mounted in the gas cabinet 1, each fabrication gas is sent to each distributor 5 through the gas lines 3 passing through the guide duct 4. Then, each fabrication gas sent to the corresponding distributor 5 is filtered through a plurality of gas filters (not illustrated), and flows through a separate supply pipe 9. Next, the fabrication gas flowing through each supply pipe 9 is supplied to one of the apparatuses 8 in the fab 7.
However, the related art gas supply device has various disadvantages. When a plurality of fabrication gases are supplied, the distributors 5 of a number equal to a number of the plurality of gas vessels 2 must be provided. Thus, when each supply pipe 9 protruding from each distributor 5 is connected to each of the apparatuses 8, the supply pipes are inefficiently used. In addition, the supply pipes 9 overlap and cause bends, and more complex routing schemes are required.